Tuesday, July 07, 2015

Here’s How to Start Travel Hacking: Travel For Less Even in First Class

Stop rubbing your eyes, because this isn’t a fantasy mid-summer night tale being told. At some point in life, we have desired to fly like the business honchos and celebrities. There is an innate devilish and very sinful desire of making a trip to another place, flying first class, even if that means ripping your bank accounts apart and maxing those credit cards too. But wait, you really don’t have to stress so much, because there are easy-weasy hacks to gain a seat in the first class cabin, for cheap!

Read on and we shall tell you five adventurous yet true ways on how people have made it into the business and first class cabins across reputed airlines, sans shelling out the World Bank lockers!

1. Check for those travel vouchers in your bag

Airlines often roll out freebies in the form of vouchers and miles, should you be a loyal and a frequent flier. But in most cases, it would be for the ‘economy class’- good for you. Look at the bright side of flying and hone your bargaining skills. Airlines would do anything to keep a loyal customer, and they wouldn’t want an empty seat before take off too. Bargain with the travel agent or the airline for an upgrade, and since most wouldn’t want a seat going empty or disappointing a loyal client, they would upgrade from ‘economy’ to ‘first class’ for a minuscule charge or if lucky, for free!

2. Be grateful and appreciate the employees at work

Who doesn’t like a little appreciation and sweet talk when work is on and in full-swing that too! Employees working for the travel industry and the airlines especially would deal with many over-the-top-and-rude-customers, day in and day out. Be the lotus in the pool of muck for them, and offer them a note of appreciation with a verbal gesture. It is a long shot, but the frontline employee would surely help you secure a first class airline seat for cheap. They may also tell you about the secret ‘buy-up’ fares that run for cheap and on large discounts too, especially for business and first class travel.

3. Speak to the specialist

When talking to a travel agent about your flight tickets; search and do business with one who is a specialist on the route you wish to fly. For example, if you would want to fly from New York to Paris, search for an agent who specialises on deals and trips to European destinations, rather than having someone who is a jack of all trades and a master of none. Such specialists help you find the cheapest first class fares on chic airlines. Try searching the same with someone unfamiliar with the routes, and since they aren’t in tie-ups with the best, you’d lose your shot at having to fly for less!

4. Fly for less at the last moment

It is a well-known fact that airlines want to fly at full capacity, and even if it means discounting the first class fare for the sake of seat occupying. You should keep a close watch or befriend a travel agent who knows when to hit the nail on its head. Strike when hot should be the name of the game here, and in most cases, a couple of hours before takeoff is when the discounts roll out for airline first class fares.

5. Use cards specific for airlines

Most credit and debit or charge cards have benefits attached to them. While some offer you coupons for shopping and lifestyle needs, others are specialists at offering you free miles and reward points, cheaper first class airfares too. There are big bonuses to reap when you sign up with these cards for a time frame given. Check with your financial institutions or banks and take advantage of the same. If you would like to save a little extra on your online shopping, go to Target.com. And, to further avail the goodness of slashed down prices use 10% Off Target promo codes and get some awesome hotel deals, while keeping your holidays luxurious to the boot!

Gone are the days when you had to be at the airport gate hours prior to your flight to secure cheap first class flight tickets or an upgrade. If you have a flight to catch, make it a worthy one through the long hauled experience ahead. Not everyone in the first class eats and drinks from golden cutlery in their real lives. And as planes are getting smaller across the globe, there are seats being filled and sometimes running empty. Grab your chance to fly first class for cheap, and now!